Slabtown community at odds with Catholic church over home for pregnant women in crisis

Residents of the community in northern Anderson County said they don't want the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston to create a group home in their neighborhood for women experiencing crisis pregnancies. Anderson County Council members delayed action on a rezoning request for St. Clare's Home.
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'I don't want that anywhere near where I live," one resident said

A home at 1226 Massey Road in Pendleton is subjects to zoning review by Anderson County. (Photo: Ken Ruinard/ Staff, )

Story Highlights

St. Clare's Home would be located in a house on Massey Road in northern Anderson County

Supporters say the site could be a "scenic, serene" setting for women experiencing crisis pregnancies

The Anderson County Council tabled a rezoning request for the home after residents complained

Claire Capelle has spent six years seeking to fulfill her dream of creating a safe haven for troubled pregnant women.

"Women are going through crisis pregnancies right now, and we have to do something about it," Capelle told Anderson County Council members Tuesday night. She urged them to approve a rezoning request that would allow the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston to use a large house in northern Anderson County as St. Clare's Home.

But council members put off a decision after hearing from about a dozen residents in the Slabtown community who oppose putting the group home in their rural neighborhood, which is known as Massey Estates.

“I don’t want that anywhere near where I live," said Kelley Gray. “I don’t want to see anything change from the way it is.”

Slabtown resident Amber McGraw speaks in opposition to putting a pregnancy crisis group home in her northern Anderson County neighborhood.(Photo: Kirk Brown/Independent Mail)

Her sister Amber McGraw, who also lives in Massey Estates, also spoke against the proposed group home.

"I just don’t think it’s a good place, smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood," McGraw said.

She added, "Just because we are against it moving in the neighborhood isn’t to say that we are for abortion.”

Michael F. Acqilano, director of the South Carolina Catholic Conference, said up to eight women and their newborn children would stay an average of 11 months in the home. He said a New Jersey-based corporation called Good Counsel would operate the home, offering classes on life skills and parenting to the women.

Acqilano said the home's location on a 100-acre tract would serve as a "scenic, serene" setting for women.

"The home is perfect," he said.

Mary Sue Threatt, neighbor of a home on Massey Road in Pendleton, looks at her phone with a text conversation with neighbors against rezoning, similar to what she brought up at an Anderson County meeting Tuesday.(Photo: Ken Ruinard/ Staff, )

A home at 1226 Massey Road in Pendleton is subjects to zoning review by Anderson County. (Photo: Ken Ruinard/ Staff, )

But Massey Estates resident Rich Straut said the neighborhood is not well suited for a group home for pregnant women.

“There is no emergency care in this area to put at-risk pregnant women in this area,” he said.

Freddie and Kim Bryant said the group home could interfere with their pastimes of horseback riding and hunting.

"There (are) other places where you can put this," Kim Bryant said.

While several people spoke in support of the group home, Councilwoman Cindy Wilson noted that none of them live in Massey Estates.

“The people who are for this rezoning don’t live anywhere near it, and those who are concerned and most oppose it live right there," she said. "That is something that should definitely be considered.”

Councilman Tom Allen said he views the group home as a "worthy endeavor."

“I don’t see where this home would be a really big problem," he said. "I don’t think pregnant women are going to run around the neighborhood causing a whole lot of trouble.”

Council Chairman Tommy Dunn proposed rejecting the church's rezoning request, but his motion failed on a 3-2 vote. Council members then decided to the table the request until they can hear from Councilman Ken Waters, whose district includes Massey Estates. Waters was not at Tuesday night's meeting.

Despite the opposition from residents, Acqilano said it is unlikely that the rezoning request will be withdrawn. He said the church is set to complete its purchase of the house later this week.

Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM and email him at kirk.brown@independentmail.com